We got there early and talked to Barker for a few minutes. I mentioned that I had first heard his name from Steve Benson. He lit up and started telling us about his recent performance with Benson. "A lot of hard work, but a blast." Music was involved. I had to disappoint Barker and tell him that I didn't really know Benson personally, just had read his posts here.

“The most eloquent witness of internal delusion that I know - a triumphantly smiling refugee from the zany, surreal world of American fundamentalist Protestantism - is Dan Barker” -- Richard Dawkins

Members of Freethinkers Atheists and Agnostics for Religious Tolerance (FAART) posed for a group photo with Dan Barker after the event. Photo is posted here:
http://web.me.com/lynna.howard/PrueHeart/Blog/Entries/2010/11/3_Atheists_in_Idaho.html(Barker is in the center, kneeling).

The acting Chairman of FAART, James Harless (right, kneeling in the photo), noted that FAART is associated with the Secular Student Alliance (SSA is "ass" backwards), and that the student association provides "a medium for non-believers to converse with like-minded peers, to educate the student body and the community of Pocatello of the various forms of non-theism and to provide a central, secular body whereby non-believers can do secular community service."


At the event, Dan Barker spoke about his book, "Godless" and recounted his transition from fundamentalist preacher to atheist.  Barker's talk included details of his successful career as a composer and performer of Christian music, and his years as a traveling preacher. “Funny how God always answered my prayers by telling me to go where I already wanted to go.”

When he was about thirty years old, Barker began a program of self-education in theology, philosophy, and science. He particularly enjoyed his studies of evolution, which he said he set out to understand in order to better reject it. Instead he found it not only made sense, but gave him a greater understanding of himself as a human being.

In one amusing story Barker told how he used to get goosebumps when he “felt the holy spirit,” and now he has a different, evolutionary explanation, for goosebumps. Barker is not shy about describing the bliss of his early “religious” experiences, a characteristic that Richard Dawkins notes in the Foreword to Godless.

Barker took questions from the audience at the end of his presentation, noting that he had stopped preaching before the era of the "moral majority" and long before the appearance of 21st century groups that meld politics and religion. Barker emphasized that he strongly believes that government and religion should be kept separate.

Among the many ironies Barker highlighted were the royalties he still receives from Christian music, and the difficulties he had during his last few months of preaching when God did not, apparently, clue his audience in to the fact that he was faking it.

Barker is co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), sharing the title with Annie Laurie Gaylor. Ms. Gaylor and Mr. Barker also host Freethought Radio, a national weekly talkshow http://www.freethoughtradio.com/.

Barker summarized for the Idaho audience some of the lawsuits which FFRF is currently prosecuting, including one involving National Prayer Day.

Barker is the author of five books:
Losing Faith in Faith
Godless: How an Evangelical Preacher Became One of American's Leading Atheists
Just Pretend: A Freethought Book for Children
Maybe Yes, Maybe No: A Guide for Young Skeptics

It was so odd to be part of even a small audience of atheists in southern Idaho that I still haven't recovered. During Barker's talk, you could still tell we were in Idaho at odd moments, like the time the audience got slightly uptight and simultaneously giggly when "crap" was used to describe what Jefferson cut out of the bible.

I gave Dan a copy of our local paper, which featured on the cover a story about a local group that is interested in paranormal happenings. The story lauded the group as using "evidence-based investigation techniques." Dan said, straight-faced, "Maybe it's true." He's got a great, dry sense of humor.

I wanted to drive down there from Idaho Falls but I didn't have the time.

I went to Shermer's presentation in Poc a few years ago. I was surprised to see a full auditorium.

I'm glad Barker got some support in such a strongly religious town. Sounds like a fun evening.

The auditorium wasn't full for Barker's talk, but the FAART organization is new, and the talk was scheduled at the last minute, so they didn't have much time to organize and advertise.

It was great fun, anyway.

I see I messed up the link in my post above. Apologies.

Correct link: http://web.me.com/lynna.howard/PrueHeart/Blog/Entries/2010/11/3_Atheists_in_Idaho.html

Dan Barker did make a couple of comments about mormons during his presentation. It was inevitable, considering the venue.

His take on mormonism was basically that most of the mormons he knows are nice people who mean well, but when you look at the religion you see it's based on ideas that are just crazy. He listed a few, including the visions of Joe Smith, the golden plates, the seer stones, the hat, etc.

He also mentioned Prop 8 as an example of religion getting involved in politics, and it not turning out well for anyone.